Well bore electric pump power cable connector for multiple individual, insulated conductors of a pump power cable

Abstract

A well bore pump electric power cable connector for field application to connect between the noninsulated ends extending from individual, insulated electric conductors of a high voltage pump power cable includes male and female elastomer boots each having a central passage therethrough to receive an end of the conductor to connect the noninsulated ends thereof, respectively, with a male electric conductor contact pin and female electric conductor socket in the male and female boots. The central passage has spaced shoulder means to mate spaced shoulder means on the male contact pin and female socket to retain them in the boots. Annular, longitudinally extending seal surface sealingly engage when the boots are mated and cooperating stop surface means and locked surface means engage when the boots are mated. A protective compression cover encloses the mated boots and the adjacent conductor portions to inhibit expansion of the mated boots in well bore fluids and thereby increase the seal effect between the insulated conductor extended into the mated boots, the conductor pin and socket and between the mated boots.

I claim: 
     
       1. A field application connector for slidably positioning over the insulated ends of individual electric conductors to connect the noninsulated ends of each individual conductor of a multiple electric conductor power cable wherein at least one end of each of the individual insulated conductors is enclosed in an impervious, pressure tight tube, the connector comprising: an elastomer male boot for slidably receiving one of the ends of an individual insulated electric conductor of the power cable;   an elastomer female boot for slidably receiving the other end of the individual insulated electric conductor of the power cable;   each of said boots having: a longitudinally extending body portion with each boot having tapered outer end surfaces extending from the longitudinal body portion downwardly to the insulated electrical conductor received therein;   a central longitudinal passage therethrough formed by a plurality of longitudinally extending, axially aligned, longitudinal passage portions with adjacent passage portions having different internal diameters to thereby form retaining shoulder means spaced longitudinally in the central passage at the juncture of adjacent passage portions;   said longitudinal passage portions which extend axially of the tapered outer end surfaces of each male and female boot having an inner diameter which is less than the outer diameter of the insulated electric conductor for sealing therebetween when the insulated electric conductor is extended, respectively, into the central passage of each the male and female boot;   annular longitudinally extending seal surfaces engageable when said male boot is inserted in said female boot to seal therebetween; and   cooperating stop surface means and lock surface means engageable when said male boot and female boot are in mated, sealing relationship;     a male electric conductor contact pin member to engage the noninsulated end extending from the one end of the insulated electric conductor and positionable in the central passage of said male boot to seal and secure the insulated conductor in said male boot against withdrawal from the male boot due to well bore pressure;   said male electric conductor contact member pin having: a plurality of longitudinal outer surface portions with adjacent outer surface portions being of different diameter to form shoulder means on said male electric conductor contact pin member whereby said outer surface portions and shoulder means on said male electric conductor contact pin member mate with said longitudinal passage portions and shoulder means of said male boot to retain and seal said male electric conductor contact pin member in said male boot; and   an end portion projecting beyond said male boot;     an electric conductor female socket member to engage the noninsulated end extending from the other end of the insulated electric conductor and positionable in the central passage of said female boot to seal and secure the insulated conductor in said female boot against withdrawal from the female boot due to well bore pressure;   said electric conductor female socket member having: a plurality of longitudinal outer surface portions with adjacent outer surface portions being of different diameter to form shoulder means on said electric conductor female socket member whereby said outer surface portions and shoulder means on said electric conductor female socket member mate with said longitudinal passage portions and shoulder means of said female boot to retain said electric conductor female socket member in said female boot; and   a longitudinal passage to receive said end portion of said electric conductor male contact pin member in electric conducting relationship with said electric conductor female socket member;     said electric conductor male contact pin member and said electric conductor female socket member each including a longitudinal opening in one end for receiving the noninsulated ends of the insulated electric conductors, and said electric conductor male contact pin member and said electric conductor female socket member each have a deformable portion for crimping to engage the noninsulated conductor ends;   a protective covering enclosing said male and female boots to inhibit expansion thereof in well bore fluids and thereby increase the sealing effect between said male and female boots and insulated conductor therein and between said mated male and female boots; and   a tubular insulating nonconductor positioned between the end of the impervious tube and said electric conductor member secured to the adjacent noninsulated conductor end.   
     
     
       2. A connector for the ends of individual insulated electric conductors of a multiple electric conductor power cable wherein at least one end of each individual insulated conductor is enclosed in an impervious, pressure tight tube, the connector comprising: male electrical contact member adapted to be connected to the noninsulated end of an insulated electrical conductor of a multiple electric conductor power cable;   female electrical contact member adapted to be connected to the noninsulated end of an insulated electrical conductor of a multiple electric conductor power cable;   elastomer male boot having a central longitudinal passage for slidably and sealably receiving an insulated electric conductor of a multiple electric conductor power cable with said male electrical contact member connected to the noninsulated end thereof;   elastomer female boot having a central longitudinal passage for slidably and sealably receiving an insulated electric conductor of the multiple electric conductor power cable with said female electric contact member connected to the noninsulated end thereof, said female boot constructed to telescopically receive said male boot therewith whereby said male contact member is engaged and retained within said female contact member;   cooperating surface means on said male and female electrical contact members and on said longitudinal passage means of said male and female boots in which said male and female contact members are respectively received whereby said insulated conductors and electrical contact members engaged therewith are retained respectively in said male and female boots;   incapsulation means to cover said telescopically connected male and female boots and the adjacent portion of said insulated conductor extending into each of said boots to prevent swelling of said boots; and   a tubular insulating nonconductor positioned between the end of the impervious tube in the central passage and the electrical contact member in said boot connected with the noninsulated electric conductor end.